Disclaimer: I am not the one and only, so that makes me just a fan.
Ch. 19 How to be a Snape
Harry snuck over to the Infirmary door to listen in on what the school's medi-witch was saying to Snape and Malfoy about Hermione. Just as he pressed his ear to the door, a voice from behind him him. "Good evening, Mr. Potter. Surely you know that if Poppy Pomfrey finds you lurking about..."
"I know all about Madam Pomfrey's threats about me never returning to her, but sir, Hermione is in there!" Harry pleaded with the Headmaster.
"Then I am sure that Miss Granger will inform you of whatever is going on when she returns. Now scoot off to your next class." Dumbledore lead Harry away from the piece of wood that separated him from hearing what was happening with Hermione. I'll see her later today, he thought. Then I'll find out the truth.
However, as luck would have it for Harry Potter, later that day never came. Hermione never made it to any of her remaining classes, nor did she appear for meals. By the time dinner was over, Harry was worried about his friend. He went to the Head Dorm's, only to be growled at by Hermione's dragon. After twenty minutes of sitting outside the portrait, he left for the Lion's Den.
The next morning Hermione showed up for breakfast, but wasn't able to speak privately with Harry or Ron. Every Gryffindor approached Hermione to welcome her back from her seclusion. Only Ginny offered her a small knowing smile as the red head girl looked at the plate of food in front of Hermione. Ron and Harry were glad to have back their old Hermione, she would look them in the eyes and smile everytime she looked in their direction. When breakfast was over, they walked happily to Charms, which was once again practicing with spells that they had learned before. Then they made their way down to the dungeons, Hermione walking confidently between the two boys.
Snape barged into his class, stopping short when he heard a familiar laugh. That girlish laugh had annoyed him for six years, but today he found that laugh to be the sweetest sound that he had heard in a long time. He looked over to his favorite student, to have Draco smile at him then nod to Hermione. As class began, Snape rounded on his students."Can anyone tell me what this class is so important for?"
Then entire class fell silent as the Head Girl that had tried to be invisible raised her hand. Snape tried to keep his composure as Hermione opened her mouth to speak. "If you are asking this because Potion's is required all seven years that we attend Hogwarts, it is because not all magic can be produced with a wand. It is imperative to know Potion's depending on the type of job we wish to take after graduation. A flick of the wrist will not always mend a broken arm or stop a poison from traveling through our veins. Also potions allow us to take form of another being. Now if you are asking because you feel that we are wasting your time," Hermione looked around the class. Her eyes landed on Harry and she remembered when Snape kicked him out of his class when he was learning Occulmancy. "then you should just kick our sorry butts out of your class."
Laughs filled the class. Hermione Granger had just challenged Severus Snape to kick her out of class. Even some of the Slytherin's laughed, though most wore looks of disgust. Ron lovingly patted Hermione on the back as she raised her eyebrow at her Professor. Even Severus let a small laugh and small smile escape, before straightening himself.
"Nicely done, Miss Granger. Now, as you all just heard, you have all been selecting the types of jobs that you will be applying for when you graduate. For the next few weeks, I will be breaking this class into sections. Each section will be doing potion's specializing in a specific work area. But as for now, directions are on the board. There are six potions for you to choose from. Each one is a standard first aid potion. I will leave you to pick one potion to do."
When class was over, Harry and Ron thought that it would be a good idea to skip their next class, being that Hermione had a free period. Ron immediately disappeared, giving Harry the opportunity to speak to his friend. Harry took Hermione's hand and lead her down to the lake. Once they were sitting comfortably on the soft grass, Harry turned his full attention onto Hermione. "Care to tell me what was going on yesterday?"
"Not really. I'm not ready." Hermione avoided eye contact with Harry.
"Can it be that bad? Hermione, it's me. The guy that slept in the same bed as you for half the summer. The guy that has been by your side, not counting those few small incidences, since you were eleven. Since when can't you tell me what's going on?"
"I don't want you to be mad with me, Harry. I couldn't bear it, if you were."
"It's not like your pregnant or anything. Tell me." Harry quit talking when tears dropped from Hermione's cheeks. "Hell no! HELL NO! WHO?" Harry got up and paced in front of Hermione. When she didn't answer, Harry grabbed her by her arms. "Who?"
"Let her go, Potter!"
Harry ignored the voice far behind him, but he loosened his grip on her arms. "Talk to me, Hermione." He whispered.
"Granger, you okay?" Hermione nodded and Draco stopped walking over and headed another way.
"Malfoy?" Harry cried in disbelief. Hermione immediately shook her head no. Harry stood in front of Hermione, processing this surprising information. Finally he spoke, "It doesn't matter who did this to you, the kid can be a Potter." Hermione's eyes shot up. "Hermione, I can help you. I have more money than I know what to do with. I can support all of us, you wouldn't have to work right away if you didn't want to. Let me help you...Please?"
"Why are you doing this, Harry?" Hermione whispered, wiping a tear that was clinging to her eyelashes.
"Because I love you. And I love that you love me too, just like you love Ron. But this is different! I want to be more than your friend. All you have to do is let me."
"I'm sorry but I can't." Harry went to argue with her, but she put her hand up to silence him. "Please just go." Hermione turned her back and waited for Harry to walk away.
Since the day Hermione turned away from Harry, the two barely spoke. Harry couldn't speak to her because he couldn't trust himself to keep her secret quiet until she decided to tell everyone. His heart hurt that Hermione had refused his offer, but he still hung onto a shred of hope that one day she would see that he was her knight in shining armor. Hermione tried not to speak to Harry because she knew that she had hurt him, he was just being her friend and wanting to help. But before Hermione could really think about her new life to come, she needed to deal with her life at it's present. She had a boyfriend that knew nothing of the events that had happened. Hermione, herself, wished to that she could even explain what had happened to the boy that she truly loved. This really stinks, he'll hate me forever!
Days passed, and Hermione couldn't bring herself to write that one fateful letter. Days turned into weeks, still Hermione couldn't shatter his heart. She had hoped that he would just forget her, but that never happened. She had received two letters from him in the last three weeks. Not once could she bring herself to open either letter. It wasn't until the day that she came back to her Common Room after her patrolling rounds, to find both her letters on the table and Draco Malfoy sitting in front of them , never taking his eyes off of them. "So you really do have a boyfriend?"
"You read my mail?"
"No, I didn't have to. An owl came for you, carrying some flowers with a note attached. By the way, he said that he loves you." Hermione turned her back to Draco, hoping that she could ignore him. "Does the hero of the wizarding world know about this yet?"
"Leave Harry out of this! Mind your business, Malfoy!" Hermione turned around angrily. Draco let a chuckle.
"How come I know more about you than your own friends? Why are you so afraid of them? You won't hesitate to fight with me or anyone else, but the other two thirds of the Golden Trio? Granger, I'm sure you'd rather hide behind me than tell them face to face. Which gives me an idea! Can I be there to watch Scarhead's face crumble as tell him about this other guy?" Draco knew that he was acting so serious with her, even though he was feeling the same angry pain that he was sure that Harry Potter would soon feel.
"Sod off, ferret!" Hermione started
for her room, turning at her door.
"By the way, Draco dearest, since you are so concerned about a dirty
blood's life, I was going to break up with him. Sorry, but I'll never
tell Harry. It's not his business nor yours." With that, Hermione
slammed her door shut. A half hour later, she reemerged from her room
with her letter clutched in her hand. Her face was impassive even
though her heart ached. She stuck the letter in the back pocket of her
baggy jeans. Just as she grabbed Harry's black hoodie from the closet
in the Common Room, a voice called from the corridor outside the
portrait.
Instantly, Hermione's body stiffened.
Draco got up off the couch, asking Hermione as he passed her to the portrait, "Where are you going?" Before she could answer, Draco opened the door and let Blaise Zabini into the room. Blaise walked over to the couch that Draco had been sitting on, and made himself comfortable. Draco turned his attention back to Hermione. "Well?"
"Owlery." Then Hermione left. When she returned from mailing her letter, Blaise was still sitting in her Common Room. She didn't know why, but that boy made her feel uneasy. Her backbone stiffened in what she hoped was her Gryffindor bravery, but she noticed that her hands had started to shake. Without saying a word, she tried to slip past the boys without any insults. Just as she opened her door, Blaise spoke. "Miss Granger, not joining us?"
"No, she can't." Draco answered for her.
There was something about the fact that Draco had basically told her not to join them that made her feel that she wasn't good enough to be hanging around his friends. My blood may be dirty compared to their's, but I still come from a pure family. Gram's told me that I back down to no one, so here goes. "Yeah, I'm in."
Blaise's face lit into pure ecstasy, but Draco turned his head in disbelief. "We're drinking, Granger. You don't need to be around us right now."
"No Draco. Let her stay." Blaise said with an amused grin.
Just as Hermione went to sit on the same couch as Draco, an owl tapped mercilessly against the window. Draco got up before Hermione could move. Blaise looked at Hermione, smirk plastered to his face. Hermione winced as Blaise winked and licked his lips at her behind Draco's back. Draco returned with a piece of blue parchment in his hand. The familiar chicken scratch hand writing was addressed the letter to her. Though the penmanship looked angry, Hermione took the letter. She opened it, both boys waiting for her to make some kind of response, but none came as Hermione read the letter twice.
Hermione,
I am unclear as to why you would ever write such a short and unfriendly letter to me. But I understand that you no longer wish to be with me.My heart has broken in two just reading your letter. How could you have given yourself to another when I would have loved you forever? Am I not enough? I said that I was sorry for being away from you when you needed me, but as you know, I am working towards providing you with a life that you had really deserved. I only hope that this is some joke that you find humorous. When you decide to come to your senses, my love and heart will be waiting for you. I know that your life has been rough, and that during the war you lost much that was dear to you. Now it seems that you have gained something in return for your loss. Let you know this, I hold no ill feelings towards you, you are a woman that has feelings and needs, I can understand. But as for the poor soul that has stolen your heart, if he doesn't take wonderful care of you and your expecting child, God and Merlin will not be enough to save him from my wrath. I want you back, Hermione. That is how far my love for you goes. I am willing to accept the product of an unfaithful liaison...(tear drops blurred the next few words). Though my heart is forever yours to hold, I can not so easily forgive you right now. Your betrayal of my faith in you is shattered, but as time goes, my trust in you can be restored.
I love you
Hermione fled the room, accidentally dropping the letter in the process of climbing the stairs. She couldn't contain her tears, the guilt of lying to her boyfriend of almost two years was killing her. How could she ever tell him that she couldn't remember what had happened to her. She didn't know what to do. Instantly, she ran back out of her room, not noticing that Blaise and Draco were arguing. She paid no attention to the fact that Blaise was holding a piece of parchment with her name on it, or to the fact that Draco was quietly asking for it to be handed over. She never seen how either boy stopped as she passed, nor that one held a look of concern and the other a look of lust.
As soon as she was out of the door, with Draco still looking at the back of the portrait, Blaise took the opportunity to read over the letter. "Given yourself...not enough...joke you find humorous...been rough...return for your loss...expecting child?...stolen your heart...my wrath...product of an unfaithful liaison?...What the hell is this, Draco? You knocked up the mudblood? That's gross!" Blaise sneered.
"Blaise, it's not mine." Draco explained.
"Why try to hide it, then? It's not yours so what's the difference if anyone finds out?" Not his, not her boyfriend's, then who...Oh bloody fucking shit! Blaise felt as if his world would come to an end. If anyone ever found out that I fathered her child, I'm as good as dead.
Hermione walked as fast as she could, but not fast enough for her liking, so she took off at a fast run. She stopped outside the potion's lab. It took her a minute to gather her courage. Then she threw open the door. "SEVERUS!" she bellowed. "WHERE THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU?" she screamed through out the empty room. She fell to the ground, crying. "I need you now. Please." She whispered into the darkness. That night Hermione never went back to her Common Room. She stayed in the potion's lab, curled into a ball on the floor crying the night away. The next morning came too soon, even though not a shred on sunshine came into the room. She couldn't bring herself to leave the cold, dark room, though she was glad that the lab had a private lavatory. Not once did Severus come to the lab that day, nor did Hermione leave the safety of the lab to seek him out. He would come, he would find her. She was sure of it.
.
It was been a full two days since Hermione left the Head Common Room,
and had not been seen by a single soul. Draco was worried, Ron was
angry, Ginny was sick, Madam Pomfrey was beside herself, Dumbledore was
trying his hardest to calm everyone, but Harry was another story. He
refused to sleep (even though he rarely slept), food was not an option
for him, his map was not finding her just it had when she disappeared
into Hogsmeade, Professors feared to speak with him after his anger
accidentally blew up Filch, Professor Sprout, Professor Vector, and
even Professor McGonogall. He searched every place that he could think
of that Hermione would go to. He never thought to check the potion's
lab, being as Professor Snape was admitted to the Infirmary. She
would only go there to help Snape with his potion making and being as
he was in the hospital wing, Hermione had to be elsewhere. Just where
could she be?
On the third day of Hermione second disappearance, a house elf popped into the potion's lab to retrieve some herbs for a potion reserved for Severus Snape. A small moan came from the corner of the room, making the elf jump in surprise. "Hello? Anybody's here?" the pasty green creature squeaked. A hand moved in the dark. "Is you hurt? Mistress will help you, Pinky will go get mistress."
Five minutes later, the elf returned holding the hand of her stout mistress. The elf pointed to the corner of the dark room. Madam Snape walked over to the corner, kneeling down to see in the darkness. The elf cleared her throat, then snapped her fingers. Light appeared and the woman thanked her favorite elf. With light now gracing the room, she could see the form of her granddaughter laying on the floor. She couldn't help but smile. Her son hadn't been pleased when he learned that his daughter disappeared again, immediately sending him into a heart attack. Surely things couldn't get any worse?
The woman nodded to her elf and stood up. The elf snapped her fingers and Hermione's sleeping form floating into the air and went straight to the Infirmary to be checked over. When Hermione's head hit the soft pillow, she opened her eyes. The room she was in was white, telling her that she was back in the hospital wing. She knew that she was right when Poppy Pomfrey stood over her wearing a scowl on her face.
Before Hermione could speak, food was pushed into her mouth. "Sleeping? For two and a half days with no food is not good for you. When you have ate enough to make me happy, I will release you. So, I suggest you start now. I'll be back later to check on you."
When Poppy had left for her office, Hermione turned to her grandmother. "Where's Severus?"
"Oh, you mean your father?"
"No, I mean Severus. Where is he?"
"My dear, you have alot to learn. He is your father, weather you like it or not. Now, your father had a heart attack. He should be okay. If you want to see him, listen to the mediwitch. Eat, then you can see him."
Hermione moved to get off the bed, but was held down by one strong hand on the top of her head. "Don't fight me." Hermione still continued to try to wiggle out of her grandmother's grasp, but couldn't get away or even off the bed for that matter. "You're just as stubborn as him, you know." Hermione still struggled from under her grip. "Are you going to back down?"
"No." Hermione said through gritted teeth.
"That's my girl." She released Hermione head from her grip. "You're really learning to be a Snape. But if you don't want a second lesson on backing down and a headache, you'll listen to Poppy. Then I'll take you to see Severus, myself.".
A/N: In case any of you are wondering, the letter that
Hermione wrote to her boyfriend said that she was expecting a child
that was not his. And that she thought that it would be best for them
to break up. She did not tell him that she was attacked. If you knew
someone who was raped and she decided to keep the child, what would she
tell her long distance boyfriend? Not the truth, that would just make
the guy want to kill the fool that touched his woman. So that is why
she lied. As for her knowing about the attack, yes she knows that she
was raped but not by who. In case you didn't notice, she left out of
class with Poppy Pomfrey and returned to her dorm late. So there was
alot of talking that occurred but I can't type that much. It would take
forever. But by the looks of my reviews, I'd have to say that either
most everyone didn't read and review or most didn't like it enough to
review. Was it really that bad? Well, Harry finally told her how he
feels. He did it once, but she was already asleep. So now Draco and
Harry have told her of their feelings. Am I forgetting something?
lovedrher: The answers to your questions are that when he found
Hermione and went to get Snape, he overheard Snape say that he was her
dad. As for the mysterous boyfriend, even though Hermione broke up with
him, we haven't heard the last of him. As for why she can't remember
why Blaise raped her, do you remember her necklace? The one that grants
it's wearer one wish? Well, her wish was (and I'm quoting what she
screamed at Draco 'I'm a mudblood, something that should never be
worthy of attention. I don't want the touch of a monster on me.'
HalfBloodedPrice15: I have figured out how Draco will find out that Blaise fathered Hermione's child! It's brilliant, though it's not pretty. The shock will wear off. As for Harry and Ron, I think that I cleared that in this chapter.
Gentileschi: If you think that Grams is hard on Draco, wait till she gets ahold of Harry and Ron. Not to mention that poor Neville gets caught in the crossfire.
k847: I'm sorry that you didn't like the last chapter that much, but alot more will happen over the next four chapters. It will move along faster now, so hopefully I can get to the fun stuff soon.
Hogwarts Angel: She already has an idea as to what happened, but I will cover that soon. As for who the father is, that will be at the end for her, though a few other characters will know every soon.
Hugs from a deranged fruit,
Cherry.